Anited Braper 


filisstons Abroad 


During the Week 
April 5cb-12th 
1903 


ee 


| Che American Bible Society 


AS widespread interests in mission lands. 

tts colporteurs and missionary corre- 
‘spondents are at work in Mexico, Cuba, Puerto 
{ Rico, Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, 
_ Brazil, Bolivia, Ecwador, Chili, Peru, Argen- 
‘tina, Japan, Korea, Siam, Laos, Micronesia, 
the Philippines, Egypt, Africa, Arabia, Syria, 
Turkey in Asia, Turkey in Europe, Bulgaria, 
‘Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, 
. Scandinavia, and in other countries and lands. 
Its agents and colporteurs are subject to weari- 
‘some journeys, to encounters with heathenism, 
unbelief, and imperfect faiths. They are fre- 
quently face to face with enemies, and often have 
‘to endure months and months of isolation. They 
ineed the constant prayers of all God’s people 

throughout this land. 


t 


: 


A Week of Pravper for 
Flisstons Abroad 


April 5th to 12th, 1903 


HE Tenth Annual Conference of the 
Officers and Members of the For- 

eign Missions Boards in the United States - 
and Canada, meeting in New York City in 
January, 1903, decided to ask all Christian 
people in the United States and Canada 
to join in a week of special prayer for 


’ the non-Christian world, for the men and 


women who are giving their lives to mis- 


-_ sionary work, and for the wider recogni- 
tion by Christians everywhere of the duty 
-= and privilege of sharing more fully in the 


great task of world evangelization. 


The period selected for this year, April 
5th to 12th, both inclusive, is that which 


“commemorates the Redeeming Death and 


PO Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus 


Christ. 

It will be apparent to everyone how ap- 
propriate it is to use these days for offer- 
ing prayers and gifts, that the message of 
love revealed in the Incarnation of Our 
Lord, and the message of Life revealed in 


- His Resurrection, may be fully proclaimed 


throughout the world for which He died. 
The following suggestions for the ob- 


-servance of the week are _ respectfully 


offered to ministers and people; it being 
understood that it is the principle, rather 
than the particular method which it is im- 
portant to emphasize, and that the latter 


; 31265 


should be modified to meet local condi- 
tions, as may be thought best.  — 


1. Wy Congregations 


In congregations having a daily service 
during the appointed week, it is suggested 
that special prayer for missions be offered 
as a part of the service ; and that where- 
ever practicable mention be made each 
day in sermons, addresses and interces- 
sions of one or more of the topics included 
in the Common Daily Prayer and the 
Prayer Cycle suggested on pages 5, 6, and 
7 of this leaflet. 

In congregations having occasional serv- 
ices during the appointed week this plan 
may be modified as the conditions require. 


2. Wy Andibiouals 


It is hoped that all persons receiving a 
copy of this leaflet will share in this week 
of common prayer for the extension of 
Christ’s Kingdom :. 

(1) By following in connection with 
their daily private devotions the cycle on 
pages 6 and 7, or any adaptation of it that 
may seem desirable ; 

(2) By endeavoring to pause for a mo- 
ment at noon each day of the week to 
offer prayer for missions and missionaries 
throughout the world. 


3. parlor Meetings 
By joining with a few friends, in the 
home of one of them, on one or more 
evenings of the week for united prayer for 
missions and missionaries. 


4 


@ 
( 


Common Maily Prayer 
oy 


For a realization of the need of the non- 
Christian world, its helplessness, tts matertal- 
tsm, lust, and superstition ; the tnadequacy 
of tts religions ; tts spiritual hopelessness. 


For political righteousness and stability ; 
for religious liberty and peace. 


For missionaries, that they may be pre- 
served tn body and spirit,and may have greater 
access to the hearts of the people. 


For the establishment of native churches 
and Christian homes, and for the elevation of 
woman. 


For more consecration and sacrifice ; for 
a full surrender to the Lordship of Christ ; 
for a truer conception of the Mission of the 
Church. 


For the evangelization of the whole world 
and the establishment of the Kingdom of 
Christ. 


i 
“That they might know Thee, the only 


true God, and Jesus Christ whom 
Thou hast sent,” 


# 


prayer Cycle 
i 


. The Empires of Eastern Asia, Japan, 
China, Korea, Thibet and Siam. 
for friendship and the decay of distrust ; 
Jor continued progress ; for openness of 
mind and heart on the part of Confu- 
ctanist, Buddhist and Hindu toward 
the Gospel. 


. Central and Western Asia, India, Af- 
ghanistan, Persia, Turkey, Arabia. 
For religious liberty ; for the elevation 
of woman ; for freedom from famine ; 
for the conversion of Mohammedans. 


. The Continent of Africa. For the ex- 


tinction of the slave trade and the liquor 
traffic ; for peace ; for the evangeliza- 
tion of the Soudan, and all unreached 
tribes. 


. The Countries at our doors, Mexico 
and Central and South America. 
For the spread of purity of doctrine and 
of life ; for the unreached Indians ; for 
political righteousness and stability. 


5. The Islands of the Sea, the Philippines, 


Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the South 
Seas, Madagascar. For the purifica- 


6 


prayer Cycle 
*- 


tion of American influence from all vice 
and trreligton ; for confidence and serv- 
tce ; for justice and peace ; for the end 
of slavery and impurity, and the conquest 
of Christianity. 


6. The Evangelization of the World. 
For missionaries ; for the Native 
Churches ; for all inguirers and cate- 
chumens ; for greater fatth in God, for 
the establishment everywhere of Chris- 
tian homes and the Christian Church, 
and the preaching of the Gospel to 
every creature, 


7. The Church at Home. For ministers 
and people ; for forgiveness for leth- 
argy and indifference. 


8. The Church at Home. Jor more 
prayer and more faith in God's desire 
to hear and answer prayer ; for more 
love and obedience. 


i: 


“Pray ye the Lord of the harvest to send 
forth laborers.” 
“Say, Thy kingdom come.” 


7 


prayer and felissions 
* 


RAYER is essentially active and ex- 
pansive. If we pray for the attain- 
ment of an object, we shall work for it 
also. If we learn to say, not with the 
lips only, but with the heart and the un- 
derstanding, “Thy Kingdom come:” if 
we intensify our prayers by due reflec- 
tion on the vastness and variety of the 
work for which we pray; if we take pains 
to gain a detailed knowledge of some 
part of the whole mission field; then we 
shall soon speak one to another of that 
which burns within us. Zeal will kindle 
zeal, where before silence chilled it; and 

devotion will pass into deed. 

Brooke Foss WESTCOTT. 


oy 


FEEL sure that, as long as we look 

on prayer chiefly as the means of 
maintaining our own Christian life, we 
shall not know fully what it is meant to 
be. But when we learn to regard it as 
the highest part of the work entrusted 
to us, the root and strength of all other 
work, we shall see that there is nothing 
that we so need to study and practice as 
the art of praying aright): 70%) 7714s 
only when the Church gives herself up 
to this holy work of intercession that we 
can expect the power of Christ to mani- 
fest itself in her behalf. * * * With 


8 


disciples full of faith in Himself, and 
bold in prayer to ask great things, Christ 


can conquer the world. “Lord, teach 
us to pray.” ANDREW Murray. 
* 


] F all true believers on earth could only 
unite, not in repeating the words 
merely, but in uttering from the heart, 
and laying it as a daily burden on the 
heart, the first petition of Our Lord’s 
Prayer, “ Thy Kingdom Come,” the na- 
tions would be shaken, and the King- 
dom of God would begin to advance 
with mighty strides towards universal 
triumph. James M. THopurn. 


1 


N January, 1793, after hearing the ac- 
count of Mr. Thomas, a medical of- 
ficer just returned from India, Mr. Fuller 
said, “ We saw there was a gold mine in 
India, but it seemed almost as deep as 
the center of the earth. Who will ven- 
ture to explore it? ‘I will go down,’ 
said Mr. Carey, ‘but remember that you 
must hold the ropes.’ We solemnly en- 
gaged to do so; nor while we live shall 
we desert him.” 


Prayers 
i 


NASMUCH as this leaflet is to be 

L used by the Christians of many com- 

munions in our land, and for the help of 

such as may desire it, the following 
prayers are suggested : ! 


ks 


GOD, who hast made of one blood | 


all nations of men for to dwell on 
the face of the whole earth, and didst 
send Thy blessed Son to preach peace to 
them that are far off and to them that 
are nigh; Grant that all men everywhere 
may seek after Thee and find Thee. 
Bring the nations into Thy fold, and add 
the heathen to Thine inheritanee. And 
we pray Thee shortly to accomplish the 
number of Thine elect, and to hasten 
Thy kingdom; through the same Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 


“ke 


ATHER of mercies, forgive, we 
pray Thee, our unbelief, and so en- 
large our hearts and enkindle our zeal 
that we may frequently desire the salva- 
tion of all men, and may with ready dil- 
igence labor in the extension of Thy 
kingdom; for His sake who gave Him- 
self for the life of the world, Thy Son 
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 
10 


LMIGHTY and everlasting God, 
who dost govern all things in 
heaven and earth, we commend to Thy 
fatherly care all whom Thou hast called 
to take part in the missionary work of 
Thy Church. Watch over them, we be- 
seech Thee, for good; defend them from 
all dangers both of body and soul, from 
the pestilence that walketh in darkness 
and the sickness that destroyeth at the 
noonday; give Thine Angels charge con- 
cerning them, and let Thy Holy Spirit 
rule in their hearts, and prosper all their 
work to the glory of Thy Holy Name; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 


*k 


GOD, the Father of our Lord Je- 

sus Christ, our only Saviour, the 
Prince of Peace; Give us grace seriously 
to lay to heart the great dangers we are 
in by our unhappy divisions. Takeaway 
all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever 
else may hinder us from godly union 
and concord: that as there is but one 
Body and one Spirit, and one hope of 
our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one 
Baptism, one God and Father of us all, 
so we may henceforth be all of one heart 
and of one soul, united in one holy bond 
of truth and peace, of faith and charity, 
and may with one mind and one mouth 
glorify Thee; through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 


ii 


ww_«_ FF 


American Wible Society 


Bible House, Astor Place 
New York | 


oy 


Copies of this leaflet may 
be obtained without cost from 
the Corresponding Secreta- 
ries, Bible House, Astor Place, 
New York. 


